Draft-rigging



PATENTED.PEB 16, 1904.

R. D. GALLAGHER, JL

DRAFT RIGGING. APLIGATION FILED 0012.19, 1903.

`:N0 MODEL.

1 JS s@ i VUNITED STATES Patented February 16, 19041:.V

PATENT OFFICE. z,

RICHARD D. GALLAGHER, JR., OF NEI/V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A OOR PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DRAFT-HIGGINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,337, dated February 16, 1904.

Application led October 19, 1903` ySerial 150.177,63). (No model.)

means of friction elements movable upon each c other in unison with the spring compression or expansion, the invention being particularly, though not exclusively, adapted for use in railway-car construction and especially in the draft and buiing mechanism thereof.

v The invention consists in an apparatus embodying two units, each composed of a yielding member or spring, -friction elements, and a casing, the two units being movable toward and from each other, the friction elements being at the proximate ends of the units and adapted to act simultaneously in resisting strains.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described, and pointed out vparticuarly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a half-section and half-plan view of a draft and buling rigging for railway-cars embodying' the present improvements, the end of the draw-bar and sections ofthe drafttimbers only being shown. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section showing a slightly-modified arrangement ofthe parts, the draft-timbers' illustrated in' this instance being of metal.

ments at one end of the spring and casing.

- springs.

In the preferred construction'the casing B is closed at the' outer end and at the inner or open end is provided with inclined walls or surfaces B', with which wedge-blocks' C `cooperate, said wedge-blocks also cooperating with a central wedge or wedge-shaped follower D, which restsy against the spring. The two units are assembled with the friction elements toward each other and are limited in their `movements away from 'each other by suitable stops and shoulders on the draft-timbers. Thus, as shown, each casing is provided with shoulders B2, adapted to seat against stops E, held by the draft-timbers F.

p Obviously the positions of the 'stops and coperating parts on the movable units may he varied within quite wide limits; but in the preferred construction and as illustrated in Fig. l the stops are located in positions corresponding to the positions of the stops now in common use in draft-rigging recommended by the Master Car Builders Association, Vandthe shoulders on the casings are located near the open ends, so as to fit between suchstops, thus adapting the appliances of the present invention for use with the Master Oar-Builders stops and supporting mechanism. In this preferred construction. there is also preferably interposed betweenY the proximate friction ele' forced toward each other by pressure'in one direction or the other. f

It will be observed that the angles'of the inclined friction faces or surfaces may be varied within quite wide limits and dependent upon the frictional resistance it is desired to vcreate for supplementing the spring resistance; but care should be taken that the inclines be such that the parts will readilyfree themselves and return to normal position, the

friction during the return movements being' only sufficient to check injurious recoil of the In operation the two units areusuallyin-- closed by a strap H,\attached at one end to the draw-bar I, which latter may at its rear-end abut againstcone of the units in position to transmit bufiing strains thereto, and with such construction strains in one direction or the other will move one of the casings, .together with its contained spring, inwardly or toward the other unit, thereby forcing the wedgeblocks C of both ends to travel toward the longitudinal axis of the'structure, such movement operating through the central wedges D to compress the springs from their inner or proximate ends. The action is the same in both-directions, all of the friction-surfaces of the several elements being putin action in resisting both draft and buiiing strains as well as in preventing injurious recoil of the springs.

In Fig. 2 there is illustrated a somewhat simpler forma of apparatus embodying the present improvements, and in this instance .while the friction elements are of essentially the same construction previously described the wedge-blocks C C of the opposite units are permitted to contact directly with each other and might well be formed integrally of diamond shape, inasmuch as they move in unison. In other words, the traveler Gr of Fig. 1, together with its .friction-faces, is omitted, and the friction is created between the casing and wedge blocks and between the wedge-blocks and central followers having the inclined faces or wedge-shaped surfaces. In this Fig. 2 also it will be observed that the casings lettered K in this instance are not closed at their rear ends, but are made in the form of castings open at both ends, and separate follower-plates L are located at the outer ends -of the casings to form the abutments against which the springs will rest and to which the draft and bulng strains will be directly applied, said follower-plates, however, serving to advance one or the other of the casings in accordance with the direction of movement, the operation, except as above indicated,

being in all respects similar to the operation of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. l.

When follower-plates are employed, as in Fig. 2, they preferably also constitute the shoulders which cooperate with the 'stops M on the draft-timbers to limit the outward movement of the units, said stops in this instance being located a suficient distance apart to perlmit of the insertion of the entire apparatus between them. With this construction ordinary Master Car-Builders springs may be employed, and while the range of spring movement is equivalent to a range of movement double that of a single spring the range of draw-bar movement is equal to that of a single spring only, because ofthe differential movement between the spring-casings and proximate followers which compress the springs from their inner ends.

Having thus described my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1.. Ina rigging such as described, the combination of `two units all of the members of which are movable longitudinally of the line of strain, 'each of said units embodying resilient members and friction elements at one end of said resilient members, said units being assembled in alinement in the line of strain with their friction elements in proximity; substantially as described.

2. In a rigging such as described, the combination with oppositely-disposed springs arranged in the line of strain to be resisted and friction elements interposed between the proximate ends of said spring, of casings movable toward and from each other and having friction-surfaces for rendering the friction elements operativeduring the relative movement of the casings; substantially as described.

3. In a rigging such as described, the combination of two units movable toward and from each other and each embodying the followingv instrumentalities, to wit; acasing, a spring arranged longitudinally of said casing, a follower having inclined faces and supported by said spring and wedge-blocks interposed between said follower and casing so as to be moved transversely of the line of strain by the relative movement of the casing and follower, the

said units being assembled with their inclinedfaced followers and wedge-blocks in proximity; substantially as described.

4. In a rigging such as described, the combination of the following instrumentalities, to wit; wedge-blocks movable transversely of the line of strain, oppositely-disposed followers interposed between said wedge-blocks, oppositely-disposed casings inclosing said wedgeblocks and movable toward Vand from each other in the line of strain, andoppositely-disposed springs arranged outside of the followers in the line of strain, with means for moving said casings in the line of strain to effect the transverse movement of the wedge-blocks and-longitudinal compression of the springs from their proximate ends; substantially as described- 5. .In a rigging such as described, the combination with the oppositely-arranged casings closed at their outer ends and open at their proximate ends, springs in said casings, followers interposed between the proximate ends of said springs and friction elements interposed between said followers and the proximate faces of the casings; substantially as described.

6. In a rigging such as described, the combination with the oppositely-disposed casings movable toward and from each other and closed at their outer and open at their inner ends, springs mounted in said casings, wedge-shaped followers interposedbetween proximate ends IOO ments interposed between the proximate ends of the casings and followers whereby said friction elements are made active by, an 1nward movement of either casing; substantially 1 as described.

7. In a rigging such as described, the combination'with oppositely-disposed casings having their proximate ends open, springs mounted in said casings and friction elements interposed between the proximate ends of the springs and confined by the casings, of stops for limiting the movement of said casings away from each other but permitting of a relative movement of the casings toward each other; substantially as described.

8. In arigging such as described, the combination with the oppositely-disposed casings movable toward and from each other and having their proximate ends open, springs mounted in said casings, followers interposed between the proximate ends of said springs, friction elements between the followers and casings respectively and a traveler interposed between the friction elements of the respective casings; substantially as described.

9. In a rigging such as described, the combination with the oppositely-disposed casings movable toward and from each other and having their proximate ends open, springs mounted in said easings, wedge-shaped followers interposed between the proximate ends of said springs, wedge-shaped friction elements interposed between the followers and casings respectively, and a traveler interposed between the friction elements of the respective casings;

substantially `as described.

10. In a draft-rigging and buiiing-rigging, the combination with stops, of oppositely-disposed casings having their proximateY ends open and their distant ends extending in line of strain beyond the stops,l shoulders on the proximate ends of said casings cooperating with the stops to limit the movement of the casings away from each other, the springs mounted in the casings and friction elements interposed between the proximate ends of the springs and casing; substantially as described.

RICHARD D. GALLAGI-IER, JR. Witnesses:

ALEXANDER S. STEWART,

THOMAS DURANT. 

